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hungry4design

How to transition from DR to kitchen

hungry4design
11 years ago
We have a small (1372 sf) home in S. Cal with some Craftsman/Bungalow elements. A remodel in the 70s opened up the kitchen to the DR and LR, and now we’re embarking on a remodel. Before we tinker with kitchen layout, I’m wondering about the transition from LR and DR to kitchen.

I’d like to close up some of the 15-foot expanse across the kitchen to hide some clutter and make room for cabinetry.

I’m also vexed by two lines of symmetry, one being the center of the 15-foot wide kitchen (corresponding with the symmetry of the two built-ins (see photos), and the other one being the center of the LR windows which shifts the line of symmetry (to the right in the photos).

Anyone entering our house from the front door immediately sees the kitchen and all the way to the back of the house. What would you like to see? Kitchen completely open to the DR? Feature wall hiding some part of it? Large opening in the center? Opening on right side as it is now?

Thanks for your suggestions!

Comments (6)

  • PRO
    Barbara Griffith Designs
    11 years ago
    Disregard the symmetry of the living room windows to the other walls. First I would determine exactly where you want the dining room table. Is it exactly where it is now? Moved to the left or right or closer to the doorway? In other words where would you center the light over the table. You may consider moving the light if you want to move the table. That being said, let's assume the light stays where it is now. Find where the light lines up with the kitchen counter and mark this location. This will play into the new symmetry. I would measure 2-1/2' in each direction of that mark. This would be the new opening to the kitchen as a pass through. Put a set of shorter cabinets over this opening, and have the countertop have an overhand into the dining room.

    The doorway into the kitchen can stay the same, except frame it out as a doorway with the same short cabinets over it. The rest of the wall frame out solid. Put drywall over it so it will not be wood and can be painted wall color. Find a large patterned rug for under the table.

    Regarding the opening to the living room. I would add the craftsman tapered wood pillars to the ends to enclose the space just a little more. Like these only smaller in scale.
    Craftsman Renovations · More Info
    ]
  • hungry4design
    Original Author
    11 years ago
    Thanks libradesigneye for all your suggestions. I agree that we could use professional design help. We are working with a very low budget and many problems to resolve beyond the kitchen so my thinking was to do some of the legwork ourselves, get estimates from GCs to see if we can afford our ideas, and then run them by an architect or other design person on an hourly basis. Does this sound workable? I'd love to have an architect, kitchen designer, structural engineer etc. working with us but there's not a lot of wiggle room in the budget.

    Interesting concept of using some of the DR space for the kitchen. Would definitely need a design professional to do that right!

    You're also right about all the other factors that play into the design. I'll be posting a full floor plan today. Hopefully that will help.

    Barbara Griffith Designs: Thank you so much for your clear and specific suggestions. We are thinking of swapping a smaller, round table in the DR and would then possibly need to move the light fixture, and then could set up our symmetry that way. I had also thought about the columns because I had seen other houses with similar built-ins to ours, with columns. What's the best way of finding such things? Are they custom built and expensive?

    Many thanks, again.
  • PRO
    Jeffrey Brooks Interior Design
    11 years ago
    In a similar situation we removed the existing peninsula and in it's place installed a floating island. On the Kitchen side we installed a range with down-draft, and work areas on either side. The wall rises 6.5' from the floor and is topped with crown moldings. The entire wall, sides and DR side are surfaced in low luster tile which look like an updated version of Craftsmen tiles. The Dr side of the wall features a "mural" in tile.
    In your case the wall in your DR could hold built-ins or a credenza. The suggestion of new columns is a great way to close down the Kitchen opening. You might take the two bookcases to the ceiling with columns forming the new passage.
    Last thought; Can you move the sofa from the wall it's on now to the window which is perpendicular? Instead of guests looking into the DR/Kit?
  • hungry4design
    Original Author
    11 years ago
    Jeffrey Brooks Interior Design: By chance do you have a photo of that floating island? Sounds interesting but I can't quite picture it.
  • PRO
    Jeffrey Brooks Interior Design
    11 years ago
    Hi, Afraid i don't have photos of that project. Imagine the peninsula gone. Now picture an Island in it's place.
    Instead of a counter with bar stools on the other side of the island, you have a wall that is about 6' high. The wall ends about 18" before it hits the ceiling.